Beer of the week #52: Gypsy Inc, Gyp Wit

If you’re reading this on publication day then let us wish you a “happy new year” – and question why on earth you’re looking at a beer blog following New Years Eve celebrations. For new year revellers, or anyone else with a hangover, the best drink to make you feel better is cold water, strong coffee or anything other than booze, but for this beer of the week we decided to offer a beer suggestion that might perk you up a little. Just in case you’re eager to dice with more booze danger…

We’ve remarked on the refreshing nature of Belgian wit biers before. It’s the zesty orange peel and citrus spiciness from the coriander that, combined with the crispness of brewed-up wheat, gives it a tonic boost. This wit has been given a further shot of dry-mouth banishing quenchability with the addition of American fruity hop favourite, citra. This bold dose of tropical mango sits alongside more traditional European brewing hops tettnanger and saaz to spoil the beer for Belgian wit purists but provide a unique twist for everyone else.

Those purists may also be slightly concerned to see the brewers, Gyspy Inc, hail from the modern brewing mecca of Copenhagen. But those particular alarm bells can be silenced: it’s brewed in Flanders. Gypsy Inc are a collection of brewers without their own brewing home, who roam the globe, pitching up at other people’s breweries to craft their wares. This brewery borrowing trick, known as ‘gypsy brewing’, is a relatively common thing and has enabled creative beer enthusiasts to focus on producing quality crafted beers without worrying about the overheads involved in running a brewery. For its part, the hijacked brewery gets some revenue on days when they’re not producing their own ales and can share the creative fun with their squatting partners. In this instance, Gyspy Inc have set up shop at a brewery especially built to service the needs of homeless brewers – the ‘Proef’ brewery is a small batch operation that brews purely for its clients, from individual brewing start-ups with an itch to scratch to research projects for universities and brewing business.

A lot of brewing nous has gone into this bottle of Gypsy Wit. We’re certain it’ll appeal to anyone carrying all but the most severe hangovers, but recommend those of you stick to water instead and enjoy this it at its best without one.

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